One coffee date, lead to another and another and then an invitation to the movies.

But, despite the increasing amount of time we were spending together, he hadn't kissed me yet. Which made me wonder if this was the beginning of a relationship, or just a simple friendship.

I couldn't be sure, and I was too scared to ask.

The fact that he always seemed to look around to make sure that no one ever saw us together did absolutely nothing for my confidence. I can assure you.

"So, you've been on three dates with him and he still hasn't kissed you?" Hailee asked as she lay on my bed, her head hanging off the side, her long curly hair dragging on the floor.

"But tonight we are going to the movies, so I think this might be it," I insisted, wishing she was more excited for me. "You're supposed to be helping me choose what to wear."

"Something about that guy just doesn't feel right to me. He's," she paused as she tried to think of the right word to use, "slimy. Don't you think?"

"No, I think he's gorgeous, and sexy and perfect and what do you think of this shirt?" I held up a red top so she could see.

She just shrugged, "I like what you have on now." She pointed at the blue skirt and white top that I was wearing.

I put down the hanger with the red shirt on it and hang my head. "I look fat."

"D! Don't ever say that okay? You are not fat, you are beautiful! Mason would be lucky to have you, even if he is a slime-ball."

"Easy for you to say, you're a twig." I gesture towards her stick thin figure.

"Okay, I am going to ignore that rudeness because you are my best friend and I know you are just nervous. I would kill to have your figure! You have nice boobs and an epic bum! I am just a back with a crack."

I snorted with laughter at her description. All the tension I had been carrying about my weight a few seconds before seemed to dissolve.

What are best friends for?

"You look lovely. Now, go have fun on your movie date and call me later to tell me all about it." She told me as she left the house.

I sat and waited for Mason to arrive, by the time he did he was so late I had managed to convince myself that he had stood me up and would not be coming at all.

The knock on the door sent my heart into a spasm and I was so excited, but trying so hard not to show it as I greeted him.

"Sorry I'm late, you know how it is." Was the only explanation I got, but I didn't care as he hugged me hello and led me to his truck.

"So," he said as he clicked his seatbelt in, "action or comedy?"

I really didn't like action movies so my answer was obvious. "Comedy." The frown on his face told me that it had not been the right one so I quickly changed it. "Uh, I mean, action?"

"That's my girl," he smiled at me and released his hand from the steering wheel, placing it over mine on my leg. I had to tell my heart to calm down, it was the first form of physical contact from him, apart from the occasional hug.

When we reached the movies, he ordered us a popcorn to share and two drinks, without even checking what I wanted. Which was chocolate. But I was so infatuated with him and unable to believe that he was here with me that I didn't care.

We sat near the back of the darkened theatre and shared the popcorn, occasionally sipping our drinks. It wasn't until about halfway through when his arm reached out and draped itself across my shoulders.

I had seen a lot of romance movies and I knew what was coming next. I was scared he would be able to hear my heart, it was beating so erratically.

I would never, in a million years, have told him this but, in my seventeen years, I had never been kissed. It was quite embarrassing really. Hailee had already kissed a couple of guys. Hell, everyone in my school had probably had their first kiss. In fact, it was almost a crime if you hadn't.

As he leaned his head towards mine I did my best not to panic. I had no idea what I was doing and someone like Mason probably had tonnes of experience.

But as his lips found mine in the darkness and he kissed me softly, his other arm coming to touch my waist, nothing had ever felt quite so right to me.

I was finally getting my first kiss and it was with none other than Mason Hayworth.

If only fifteen-year-old me could see me now, she would do a serious happy dance.

In fact, I had to restrain seventeen-year-old me from doing the same.

By the time he pulled away, I was convinced that I was in love. That nothing could ever feel as perfect as the moment when he broke our kiss only to place a soft peck on my forehead. Or when he removed his arm from my shoulder and took my hand instead.

As our fingers entwined, I said a silent prayer, so unbelievably thankful that this was happening to me. That this gorgous boy was interested in me. I honestly felt like I was on top of the world.

But as they say; the higher you are, the harder you fall.

"So how was it?" Alexa's voice comes out of the darkness causing me to scream and throw my house keys in her general direction.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I clutch my chest and wait for my breathing to calm down. I hear her chuckling and then the lights finally come flooding on, illuminating the living room. "Don't you have a function?"

She ignores my questions, walking over and picking up my keys from where I had thrown them, which was nowhere near her, and placing them on the table. "I'm just going to put these here before you lose them again. So tell me about tonight?" She crosses her arms and raises one perfectly plucked eyebrow at me.

"It was nice."

"Nice? Nice? Pizza is nice. Shopping is nice. Going out with scumbag ex-boyfriends is not nice." She looks at me in confusion as I start laughing. "What?"

"Nothing," I gasp between giggles. "I can just tell that you and Hailee are related. Also pizza is not just nice, it's the best thing ever."

"Stop changing the subject." She's clearly not finding this as funny as I am. "Answer the damn question, woman." She goes back to the couch she was sitting on before I came home, a half drunk bottle of Merlot and a glass on the table in front of her, the television muted.

"I told you, it was nice. We had a few drinks and chatted. Caught up on what we were up to now. That kind of thing."

"Did you kiss?"

The blush that crawls up my face seems to be answer enough, and she shakes her head disapprovingly.

"Are you seeing him again?"

"I think so."

"Do you want to see him again?"

"Are we done with the inquisition?" I avoid her question as I am not sure I know the answer myself. In some ways, I do want to see him again, more than anything. But in others, I have my doubts. "I think I can hear my bed calling me."

"No. Now sit down."

I fight the urge to give her a mocking salute, instead walking to the kitchen and grabbing a glass before joining her and pouring myself some wine. I think I may need it. "So what else do you want to know? His mother's maiden name? His father's natural hair colour? The name of his ex-girlfriend's pet dog?"

She wrinkles her nose. "I really don't appreciate the sarcasm, young lady."

"We're the same age!"

"Maybe in years but definitely not in maturity."

I want to argue with that, but I can't so I just keep my mouth closed.

"What I want to know is," she nudges me with her elbow, making me look at her, "are you happy?"

This was something I hadn't even considered myself yet. The reappearance of Mason into my life has been so sudden and unexpected. The fact that he wants to date me again is a curve ball I could never have imagined.

We seem to have picked up exactly where we left off all those years ago, disregarding everything that happened to cause our relationship to fizzle out. Maybe this is something that we need to chat about? Maybe we need to sit down and talk it out, get everything out in the open. I feel like that's the only way we will ever really be able to move forward.

I remember, too well, being the broken hearted girl that he left in tears all those years ago without a second thought. The pain still feels a little too fresh.

He was the reason for my chosen profession, after everything we had been through together. He is also the reason why I have been too scared to get serious with anyone else.

Putting all of this aside, I can look at this a second chance. To fix what was broken. To do it right this time. I had loved him so much, possibly too much. Maybe this time it could be different and we could be as equals. Instead of one person being so much more invested in the relationship than the other.

Maybe this time we really could have our happy ending.

I don't say all this to Alexa, knowing she wouldn't really understand. I don't think even Hailee would. Instead, I smile and say, "it's still early days, so I guess we will see."

It's a truth that I needed to tell myself as well. Since I saw Mason again, I have been getting myself so worked up with the 'what ifs' and the 'what happened back thens'.

It's time to just take this as it comes and not let my thoughts get too tangled in the past.

Although that is easier said than done.

She nods as if that's all that matters to her and downs the rest of her wine. "Okay, you can go to bed now. Please just be careful D." She stands up and pats the top of my head, walking towards her room.

"I promise."